Page:Bianca, or, The Young Spanish Maiden (Toru Dutt).djvu/31

Rh And sweet is death who puts an end to pain. She lay quiet but with her eyes open; there was a hot feverish flush on her brown cheek. She was looking stedfastly at lord Moore: he bent down as if to kiss her; "No, don't," thrusting him away fiercely. "It's a sin, a sin I tell you; and father is angry, and so is perhaps God;oh! I shall never be happy again!" And she turned her face to the pillow.

Lord Moore spoke. "You must send for the doctor; shall I go?" "Yes, yes, yes!" Said the distracted father.

Lady Moore and Maggie were in the drawingroom, chatting, and busy with embroidery. "It's near eight o'clock and Henry hasn't come back yet from Mr. Garcia's, what can be the matter with him?" "He is in love, my dear." Said Lady Moore coldly. "Henry in love! And with whom, mamma?" "With that Spanish girl." "With Bianca! Oh! how nice to have Bianca for a sister!" "I don't agree with you, Margaret; I should not like to have her as a daughter-in-law." "Why, mamma! I thought you liked Bianca" "One can like a girl without wishing to have her as a daughter-in-law. Bianca may be a Spanish gipsy, for aught I know." "But you used to praise her graceful ways and manner." "I always said she was a wild girl." "Yes, but you said there was a natural grace in her that was quiet charming." "I have changed my opinion now. She is not at all like what an English young lady ought to be." "No! I suppose not! Fancy a Miss De Wilton with a pair of pistols under her outdoor jacket." And Maggie laughed at the idea. "But mamma, if Henry marries her, we can polish her up in a few days, and make her little more English!" "Try it! She is as proud as if she were Queen of Spain. She won't submit to being polished up. She isn't pretty; I sometimes fancy she has bewitched Henry!" "O mamma! How vexed you look! Don’t you really like her then?" "I would have liked her well enough had she left my son alone." "I never suspected that she loved Henry." Said Maggie musingly. "No, I dare say